Kariba’s history began in 1960 and is the result of a journey built over time, shaped by passion, expertise and industrial vision.
A path that started with the production of the first WC flushing cisterns and developed through technological evolution, international growth and a constant focus on quality.
Year after year, Kariba has renewed itself without losing its identity, turning experience into value and looking to the future with the same determination as in its early days.
A story that continues, every day.
Aristide Cappelletti, a technician at Pirelli, began designing plumbing systems in his spare time. Fascinated by the innovation of concealed cisterns, he built the first NAUTILUS and POLARIS cisterns in a small workshop—the latter featuring electromagnetic control.
Aristide Cappelletti founded C.B.M., laying the foundations for what would later become Kariba’s industrial project.
C.B.M. unveiled the NAUTILUS copper cistern at the Milan Trade Fair: its revolutionary round shape ensured improved sealing and performance, and production quickly grew from 500 to 20,000 units per month.
Kariba was unveiled at the Milan Trade Fair as the first fully plastic “wall-mounted” cistern, while its name was inspired by newspaper headlines about the Kariba Dam in Africa: “Kariba: Italian work around the world.”
This revolutionary product is still in production today and has sold millions of units worldwide.
CBM S.r.l., experiencing strong growth, became CIBIEMME PLAST SpA and moved its production from Bresso to the new facility in Ortonovo, Liguria.
The ETERNA concealed cistern is launched on the market, expanding the range of flushing solutions.
Continued growth led to the construction of an even larger, more technologically advanced production site: the company moved from Ortonovo to Senato di Lerici, where manufacturing is still based today.
KARESS is introduced as the first prototype of a cistern with electronic touch activation, designed for hospital environments.
Kariba S.p.A. was established following the spin-off from CIBIEMME PLAST, with headquarters in Senato di Lerici.
The iconic Kariba cistern, first introduced in 1961, became the symbol of a new industrial reality.
A major relaunch of Monolith concealed cisterns, manufactured as a single piece of polypropylene and protected by international patents.
At the Lerici facility, a fully automated float production system—the only one of its kind in the world—is installed.
At the Batimat trade fair in Paris, KARIBA DUO flushing cisterns are unveiled, featuring a dual-flush mechanism for partial and full flushing and optimized water savings.
The TOP DUO cistern is unveiled at Expocomfort in Milan and enters production, further strengthening the range of advanced technical solutions.
At the international trade fair in Frankfurt, Kariba presents new concealed cisterns and the DUO flush plate, expanding the range dedicated to technical installation.
Kariba ottiene la certificazione internazionale ISO 9001, riconoscimento della qualità dei processi e dell’organizzazione aziendale.
Kariba obtains ISO 9001 international certification, recognizing the quality of its processes and corporate organization.
The new AUREA and FIDIA flush plates are unveiled at the MCE trade fair in Milan, continuing the pursuit of both aesthetic and functional innovation.
The new ITAKA flush plates are launched on the market, embodying design and innovation.
At the MCE trade fair in Milan, EMOTIKA is unveiled as the first integrated smart flushing system, marking a further step toward the smart home.
The machinery fleet is upgraded with Industry 4.0 technologies to achieve higher performance and lower energy consumption, and photovoltaic panels are installed at the Senato di Lerici facility, strengthening the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
Kariba unveils the new E-KONTROL flush plate series at The Big 5 trade fair in Dubai.
Integrated with smart electronics, these flush plates are designed to adapt to a wide range of settings—from public spaces to refined environments—where safety, hygiene, customization and functionality are essential.